In the previous episode of “How I Caught My Killer,” we came across the shocking incident that took place with an air force veteran. John Ray was murdered by a convicted criminal in his own house. In the eighth episode of the docuseries by Hulu, we witness the cold-blooded murder of a famous snake breeder, Ben Renick. Ben Renick grew up in New Florence on a family farm with his brother Sam Renick. Ben had been fond of snakes ever since he was a child. He soon turned his passion and love for snakes into a business. While breeding snakes, Ben became world-famous. He was living the life of his dreams with his wife, Lynlee. Ben was well-liked by the snake community, so who would kill him? Let’s dive into his story.
Ben Renick married the love of his life, Lynlee, and the two of them seemed very much in love. According to Ben’s friends and family, Lynlee was the perfect match for Ben. The couple had two kids together and lived on the farm happily. However, one day, Lynlee called 911 and informed the police that her husband was face-down in a pool of blood. She sounded scared and cried for help. Lynlee later called Ben’s brother Sam to the snake facility where she had found the body. When Sam came to the scene, he thought one of Ben’s snakes had bitten him. When the investigators arrived at the scene, they were under the impression that a killer snake was on the loose, and they had to be careful. However, soon, they found out that Ben had been shot. There were shell casings and bullet fragments throughout the snake facility, and everybody was shocked. Who would want to shoot such a well-liked personality? Was there someone who was after Ben’s money?
It was June 8th, 2017, when Ben’s body was discovered, and the police started their investigation. They checked the snake barn and found out that all snakes were present and there had not been a robbery. At first, the police had a theory that someone was after Ben’s snakes as they used to sell for a big price; however, when they found out that there was no theft involved, the police were puzzled. The investigators started questioning Ben’s family, and the first person of interest was Ben’s brother, Sam. According to Lynlee, Ben and Sam did not have a good relationship. Even though Ben and Sam lived next to each other, they hardly ever met. Sam accepted the fact that he was not on good terms with his brother. He told the investigators that Ben was always talking about money, and that is something Sam did not appreciate. Ben was also the sole owner of the farm, and Sam and he had been having disputes over money. It was a complicated situation. Sam cooperated with the police at every step. Friends and family were perplexed, and law enforcement was not sharing details on Ben’s case. The police simply told everyone that the case was under investigation, as months passed by. After Ben’s death, Lynlee moved out of the farm and started living with her father. She had inherited Ben’s property and money. She also decided to sell the Renick farm, and Sam had to move out in 30 days. It was a tough phase for Sam, and he struggled mentally because of it.
After a while, another theory came up. Back in the 80s, Sam and Ben’s father had started a pet food business. He bought the land they were living on, but it was hard to keep up with finances for him. He was taking money from investors only to give it to other investors. He got caught soon and faced legal troubles. He soon killed himself. The police believed Ben could have been shot by one of the investors who was possibly seeking revenge. However, this was just a theory. Months went by, and the case became cold. The strange thing was, Lynlee started a relationship with another guy and got pregnant. Friends and family felt odd judging her, but they could not help it. They were wondering how someone could move on so quickly. Lynlee had a baby with her new boyfriend, Brandon Blackwell, but he was soon arrested for stalking and other criminal charges. While he was being questioned, he claimed to have some information on Ben Renick’s murder. He informed the police that he constantly asked Lynlee about Ben’s murder and that her stories would sound off. He claimed that Lynlee was the one who shot Ben. He also named two of Lynlee’s co-workers who helped her in her spa business, Ashley Shaw and Rachel Hunt. When they were brought in for questioning, they confirmed that Lynlee was the one who murdered Ben because he was allegedly abusive.
On the day of Ben’s murder, one of Lynlee’s ex-boyfriends, Michael Humphrey, visited her spa. Police had questioned Michael Humphrey in 2007; however, they had no evidence against him, so they had to let him go. He was brought back for questioning, and he informed the police that Lynlee had asked him to drop her at the snake facility. Ben and Lynlee had a rocky relationship. They had been fighting over money, and she had money-related problems in her own business. Now according to Michael, he had given a gun to Lynlee for self-defense. However, he claimed that she shot Ben over and over again when he dropped her at the snake facility. Ben had bagged the biggest deal of his life when he was alive, and Lynlee was after his money. She had tried poisoning him before, which police found out through Ben’s texts to a friend. Ben claimed that if he died after the deal was sealed, Lynlee would become a millionaire. There was a motive. The police built a case against Lynlee and her ex-boyfriend Michael Humphrey. The odd thing about this case is that Michael Humphrey was found guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole.
Wondering what happened with the evil wife? Well, Lynlee admitted that she had multiple affairs while she was married to Ben, and they had fights over money. Lynlee claimed that she was going to confront Ben for a divorce, but Michael Humphrey shot him. The court found Lynlee guilty of second-degree murder and announced a sentence of 12 years in prison for her crimes. According to Sam, this was not what his brother deserved. Sam said he would never forget what happened to his brother. As far as Lynlee’s sentencing goes, it was definitely unfair to give her a lesser sentence than Michael Humphrey. Both blamed each other, but what is the truth? Well, we still wonder.
